How to Carve Cats Out of Wood

Carving cats out of wood can be a great woodcarving project. Cats made out of wood can be made into small trinkets just slightly larger than a finger or large, standalone statues. While boys and men are more naturally inclined to carve fish, fishing lures or slight shots, girls might be more inclined to learn to carve cats out of wood instead. The finished carved cats can be stained, polished, painted and decorated with a variety of craft materials.

Things You'll Need

Measuring tape

Wood block

Saw

Scroll saw

Chain saw

Chisel

Knives

Dremel Kit

Wood carving kit

Sandpaper

Brush

Stain

Paint

Sealer

Wax

Rag

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Decide on the final size of the completed wooden cat. For a beginners' project, use a cat figure or pattern that is about 4 to 6 inches tall.

Find a picture or pattern with the cat in the desired position to use as a template to carve the cat of wood. Draw a thick outline of the cat's shape on a piece of thick card stock, cardboard or paper.

Select a piece of wood that exceeds the cat pattern by 1 inch for both the length and width. This piece of wood can be a piece 1 to 2 inches thick for a thinner cat or 3 to 4 inches thick for a 3-D carving of a wooden cat. (This is based on a wood cat that is 4 to 6 inches tall.)

Draw the cat pattern on one side of the piece of wood. Draw the pattern freehand or use transfer paper. You can also place the paper on the wood, trace the outline of the cat with a dull pencil pressing firmly, remove the paper, and use a permanent marker to trace the indented outline for the cat pattern left on the wood.

Cut cat patterns out of small blocks with a scroll saw. Large blocks or statues of wood can be cut with larger saws, including chain saws. Very small carved cats can be shaved and shaped using hand tools.

Finish the carving detail with smaller tools including chisels, knives, dremels, other tools available in a wood carving tool kit.

Sand the carved cats. Seal your wood cats by staining or painting and sealing with a polyurethane or wax finish.

Tips & Warnings

Keep the wooden cat clean between sanding and finishing--cover them with a clean cloth or rag--to prevent dust, dirt and grease from getting on the carved cats and affecting the finish.

Keep all woodcarving tools, knives and saws sharp. Injuries are more likely to occur when using dull tools.